Introduction
In order for one to best analyse a genre successfully, it is imperative for he or she to base the analysis on two basic categories. They include rhetorical purpose and audience and content and linguistic features. Each category has its own mode of description and this helps in analysis the genres presented. In this particular paper, three letters to the editor have adequately analysed using the categories aforementioned.
The first letter is letter is addressed to David Brooks and like minds. Since the author (John Reeder), tries to contrast David’s statement that unemployment cannot be addressed by short-term measures by using markers like the recession of 1970s where many Americans were employed though such measures. The persona of the letter is the author since there is no direct use of the first person and what he assumes of his readers is that we know of the depression in 1970 and in the 1930s. He also assumes the readers are economists. This particular letter also invites the reader to play the judgemental role. It makes the reader to mull over the issue of unemployment and short term measures to curb it. The author also employs the mode of comparison/contrast as the rhetorical mode clearly stating his point that Americans can use short-term measures to curb unemployment. The specific purpose of the letter is to make an argument regarding the use of short-term measure to curb escalating unemployment during recession times and give the readers a point to mull over.
While In second letter, the intended audience is the population including the administration (Government). This is so as evident in the quoting from David’s book about the US missing something that makes it isolated from other G 7 countries. The author (Diane Bech) assumes that the readers have had a glimpse at the book from which quoted from and they all know of the G7 economies. Again as in the first letter, there is no clear persona since none is mentioned. We can only assume the author is the persona in this letter. The author as employed illustration as the rhetorical mode which gives more weight on the point she tries to make within the letter. The specific purpose of the letter is outlining the issues surrounding America and comparing them to those of the other G7 countries.
Finally, the audience of the third letter is David Brooks. This is so because the author has directed her message towards him. The author assumes that the readers know of David Brooks and his comments of which she is reacting to. The persona is represented by I as seen in the second paragraph. The author employs contrast and comparison together with process analysis to drive her point home.
In terms of Content and linguistic features, in the first letter, the author has employed the use of a direct quote from David Brooks but he has not cited it. He has also employed evidences from the 1930s and 1970s and some numerical figures to support his argument against Brook’s statements, although they are not quoted nor cited. In contrast, the second Letter, the author has employed the use of modified APA citation style to solidify her argument. From the book, she has picked out evidence that shows her argument on the issue of G7, America and unemployment. From the use of the quotation, the author establishes herself as a factual individual. In the third letter, the author employs the use of quotations and confrontational language, which depicts the use of emotions in expressing herself. She also uses juxtapositions in challenging the reader mentality, for instance comparing low men in work place to rise in women in the work place as men too are doing what women used to do in the past.
Conclusion
From the three letters, the second one was most influential in conveying the apparent message. This is because; the author used evidence, which could be substantiated from the citation she used. She was factual and did not engage emotions in her argument. The first author employs the use of a quote and some bits of statistics, which in some way helps the author in expressing his point well. However, he does not support it with citation and thus the information could look suspect. The third writer even though she could have a point engages a tone that sounds emotional with less evidence.
However, in comparison with other genres, the editorial genre permits the author to articulate himself liberally. The authors are competent enough to certify that their requirements are served. Certainly, they can attain this by employing statistics and facts.
